ThirdLove expands to 78 sizes

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Dive Brief:

ThirdLove on Wednesday expanded up to 78 size options, including band sizes between 30 and 48 and cup sizes between AA and I, the company told Retail Dive in an email.

The company says its sizing launch differs from competitors in a few ways, including the fact that it fits each cup size on at least 20 women (not industry standard fit models) with different body types and breast shapes. The company also doesn't fit based on one size and then scale up or down, which is common industry practice.

A campaign marketing the launch features 78 women who are not models and differ not only in size but also in background, ethnicity, age, sexuality and gender identity. The company says they all represent the company's mission to "help ALL women feel valued and supported by the brands they love."

Dive Insight:

ThirdLove is one of many digitally native direct-to-consumer brands built on the back of a socially conscious mission, and this new launch for inclusive sizing is a critical step toward making good on a brand promise to make allwomen feel valued in their products, a movement that many apparel retailers are taking on.

The intimates startup is quickly gaining traction with consumers and investors. The brand, which was founded in 2013 by co-founder Heidi Zak, was valued at $750 million by Forbes. The publication also estimates the company pulled in $160 million in sales last year. Last year, Forbes also named ThirdLove — as well as DTC peers Away and Poshmark — as potential retail unicorns.

The perpetual issue for digitally native brands, of course, comes down to fit. That's something the company has invested a lot of time and money into getting right online. In 2017, the brand released the latest version of its Fit Finder online tool, which according to the company uses machine learning algorithms to help customers find a perfect-fitting bra in under three minutes. One way competitors are getting around the issue is by getting into the brick-and-mortar game. Rival Adore Me is plotting up to 300 stores over the next five years. The company's first stores debuted in New York and New Jersey, and the company aims to open three more in March and have between 10 and 15 stores by the end of the year, Chloe Chanudet, executive vice president of marketing at the company told Retail Dive in January.

ThirdLove is also up against a growing number of online intimates brands looking to fill the void created by Victoria's Secret, which has struggled in recent years to attract consumers with sexy pushup style bras. Upstarts in the space like Lively, Pepper and True & Co focus their merchandise and messaging around more comfortable and natural styles.

Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the source of ThirdLove's $750 million valuation and sales figures. Those estimates came from Forbes.